Download pdf2011 Nature Protection – an ethical obligation E. Stanciu

Nature Protection – an ethical
obligation
Erika Stanciu, Bad Urach 2011
ETHICS
The basic concepts and fundamental principles of right human conduct. It
includes study of universal values such as the essential equality of all men and
women, human or natural rights, obedience to the law of land, concern for health
and safety and, increasingly, also for the natural environment. See also morality.
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MORALITY
Conformance to a recognized code, doctrine, or system of rules of what is right or
wrong and to behave accordingly.
No system of morality is accepted as universal, and the answers to the question
"What is morality?" differ sharply from place to place, group to group, and time to
time. For some it means conscious and deliberate effort in guiding one's conduct by
reason based on fairness and religious beliefs.
For others it is "... what the majority then and there happen to like, and immorality is
what they dislike.” (UK mathematician and philosopher Alfred North Whitehead)
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Morality is "... what the majority then and
there happen to like, and immorality is
what they dislike.”
Protecting Nature – a moral obligation?
What if Protecting Nature means:
• to reconsider some economic
interests?
• to use natural resources in a much
more responsible manner
• to lower our comfort?
• acting ALWAYS with respect for
Nature?
Environmental ethics is the discipline in philosophy that studies the moral
relationship of human beings to, and also the value and moral status of, the
environment and its nonhuman contents.
Clear distinction between
• instrumental value - the value of things as means to further some other
ends
• intrinsic value (non-instrumental value) - the value of things as ends in
themselves regardless of whether they are also useful as means to other
ends..
Only intrinsic value generates “direct moral duty on the part of moral agents
to protect it or at least refrain from damaging it”
(see O'Neil 1992 and Jameson 2002 for detailed accounts of intrinsic value).
Brennan, Andrew and Lo, Yeuk-Sze, "Environmental Ethics", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2011 Edition),
Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2011/entries/ethics-environmental/>
Many traditional western ethical perspectives
are anthropocentric (human-centered):
• they assign intrinsic value to human
beings alone, or
• they assign a significantly greater
amount of intrinsic value to human
beings than to any nonhuman things.
Protection or promotion of human
interests or well-being at the expense of
nonhuman things is nearly always
justified.
For example, Aristotle says that “nature
has made all things specifically for the
sake of man” (Politics, Bk. 1, Ch. 8)
Brennan, Andrew and Lo, Yeuk-Sze, "Environmental Ethics", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2011 Edition),
Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2011/entries/ethics-environmental/>
Environmental ethics - a new subdiscipline of philosophy that emerged
in the early 1970s, by posing a
challenge to traditional
anthropocentrism:
1.it questioned the assumed moral
superiority of human beings to
members of other species on Earth.
1.it investigated the possibility of
RATIONAL arguments for assigning
intrinsic value to the natural
environment and its nonhuman
contents.
RATIONAL arguments for
assigning intrinsic value to the
natural environment and its
nonhuman contents?
Still questioning the intrinsic
values of Nature!!!
Cairngorms, Scotland
Kemeri , Latvia
Cevennes, France
Jostedalsbreen Norway
When you work in your Protected
Area or you just enjoy Nature do you
question the Value of Nature?
Do we really need RATIONAL
arguments for assigning intrinsic
value to the natural environment and
its nonhuman contents?
Piatra Ciaiului Romania
Ferto hansag Hungary
Can we assign instrumental values to
everything in Nature?
Skaftafell Iceland
Goreme Turkey
La Albufera Spain
Triglav Slovenia
If only intrinsic value generates “direct
moral duty on the part of moral agents
to protect it or at least refrain from
damaging it” (O'Neil 1992 and Jameson 2002).
Everything in Nature has intrinsic
value!!!
The protected areas of Europe – critical for generating the moral
obligation for protecting Nature!
Natura 2000 sites – 17% of EU
Protected Areas of national interest
18% of EU39 + non – EU countries
IF WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT NATURE
PROTECTION IS AN ETHICAL OBLIGATION
We have the Power of Changing
“The impossible arrogance of human being who
believe that Nature was made only and only for
their own benefit, like if one could think that the
sun was put on fire just to grow apples for
humans and to grow their cabbage.
in 1900
(Cyrano de Bergerac)
Changing the Future of the World!
in 1990
Forests of Philippines
Neusiedler See / Fertö-Hansag
Maas-Schwalm-Nette
(A / HU)
(D / NL)
If we do not have the power,
who does?
Alpi Marittime / Mercantour
(I / F)
Oulanka / Paanajärvi
(FIN / RUS)
Krkonose / Karkonosze
(CZ / PL)
Protected Area People, Nature Conservation
organizations, Nature Conservation
Institutions
Promoters of a the moral obligation for
Respecting and Protecting Nature for its
intrinsic and instrumental values
In our everyday work …
“Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude
you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind
looks at what happens.”
Khalil Gibran
Would that you could live on the fragrance
of the earth, and like an air plant be
sustained by the light.
But since you must kill to eat, and rob the
newly born of its mother’s milk to quench
your thirst, let it be an act of worship.
…
And when you crush an apple with your
teeth, say to it in your heart,
"Your seeds
shall live in my body,
And the buds of
your tomorrow shall blossom in my
heart,
And your fragrance shall be my
breath,
And together we shall rejoice
through all the seasons."
Khalil Gibran – The Prophet